


she said use your hands and my spare time

by cherrysalad



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Casual Sex, F/F, Friends With Benefits, Implied Sexual Content, or mostly canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-05-06 07:34:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14637108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrysalad/pseuds/cherrysalad
Summary: "Veronica Lodge!" Cheryl exclaimed, in faux shock "Are you asking what I think you're asking?"





	she said use your hands and my spare time

"Can you take me to Pop's Smithers?" Veronica asked. She didn't really feel like going home, besides she was always in a mood for a burger and milkshake from Pop's.

"Of course, Miss Lodge," The driver replied, and took her straight there. She hoped that no one she knew would be there, but in this town it was like playing Russian roulette. She scanned the booths, she didn't find Jughead, Betty or Archie god forbid, but she did see Cheryl. 

Under other circumstances, Veronica would ignore Cheryl, but that night she looked almost as miserable as Veronica felt, so Veronica slid into the booth across from her. 

"Veronica Lodge," Cheryl said, looking at her distastefully "You do look a mess," 

"Likewise, Cheryl," Veronica replied, unfazed. She never quite knew where she stands with Cheryl, one minute she would think that they were really starting to be friends and the next Cheryl would make some nasty sharp tongued comment that left her rethinking it. 

"What's wrong, trouble in paradise?" Cheryl asked. 

"You could say so," Veronica sighed. 

"Why did you break up with him?" Cheryl asked. 

"How do you know it was me that ended things?" Veronica asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Oh please, if a boy like Archie gets to date a girl like you there's no way he's going to be the one ending that relationship,"

"Well," Veronica said "I guess I have to take that as a compliment, don't I?"

"You should. So why'd you end it?"

"I don't love him," Veronica confessed, all the bullshit she made up about not being able to say the words was just a sloppy excuse, if someone she really loved told her she loved her Veronica would say it back in a heartbeat. "I really thought I could. I thought it would make me good, make me different."

Pop interrupted their conversation.

"Hey, Veronica," He said "The usual?"

"Yep, thanks Pop," She smiled at him, then she turned back to Cheryl "So what's wrong with you?" 

"And why should I tell you?" Cheryl quipped.

"Well, I told you mine," 

"Oh please," Cheryl rolled her eyes "You did no such thing, I guessed it," 

"Come on Cheryl, you can trust me," Veronica promised.

"It's nothing really interesting anyway," Cheryl sighed "I like someone, they don't like me, it's all very sad,"

"Who is he?" Veronica asked.

"What makes you think it's a he?" Veronica raised her eyebrows.

"So... it's a girl then?"

"Yes. Do you have a problem with it?" Cheryl asked defensively.

"No, no not at all. I've been known to swing both ways myself," Veronica said. 

"Veronica Lodge, bisexual. What a shocker," Cheryl said sarcastically.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Veronica asked.

"Let's just say not many straight girls are so ready to kiss another girl without even a single boy present," 

"Hm," Veronica said. "I guess not,"

Pop brought Veronica her milkshake, and said, "We'll be closing up soon, so you might want to eat quick," Veronica nodded. 

"I don't want to go home," Veronica sighed and sipped her milkshake.

"That makes two of us," Cheryl said miserably. Veronica set her milkshake down, a wicked grin playing at her lips.

"Maybe you could come home with me, then at least one of us wouldn't have to go to our own home," She said, an eyebrow raised suggestively.

"Veronica Lodge!" Cheryl exclaimed, in faux shock "Are you asking what I think you're asking?" 

Veronica just winked, dropped some money on the table and stood up. Cheryl stared after her for a moment smiling bemusedly before following her. 

In the car they were the perfect picture of innocence, they stared out opposite windows and didn't exchange a word, Smithers didn't question Cheryl's presence. The apartment was big enough that they wouldn't have to be too quiet and in the morning Veronica's parents wouldn't suspect a thing, one of the few perks of being closeted.

Smithers parked the car and Veronica led Cheryl up to her room. As soon as the bedroom door was securely locked Veronica pushed Cheryl up against it and kissed her roughly, teeth grazing against the redhead's lower lip, and tongue sliding into her mouth. Cheryl fisted her hands in Veronica's silky hair and together they crossed the small expanse of floor to Veronica's bed and tumbled into it. 

In bed Cheryl was just like she was in every other situation: bratty and rough but easily undone. 

When Veronica woke up the next morning Cheryl was long gone.

…

Veronica and Archie got back together on Christmas because of course they did. In the end, Veronica decided that it was just high school, it's not like they were getting married. She could tell a boy she loved him and not mean it. It's not like Archie really loved her either, Archie didn't know shit about her, she was just the girl who caught his eye that month. It would be over soon, undoubtedly.

Sometimes she saw Cheryl in the halls at school and they exchanged curt nods and tight smiles. It was what she expected.

The next time they saw each other for real was at an underground warehouse party a few towns over. That type of party is where Veronica went when Riverdale got too Riverdale for her, she got high or drunk, danced and flirted with attractive strangers. It was like a breath of fresh air, having a place to go that was entirely separate from all the bullshit back in Riverdale. 

On the night she saw Cheryl she was feeling particularly restless and discontent, sharp and jagged at her edges. She was drunk and dancing in the whirling crowd, everything around her was hazy and fast paced and darkly colored. She felt a strange sense of belonging among the strangers and the loud music and drugs. 

She tipped slightly to the side and her shoulder knocked against someone, they both stumbled. 

"Sorr–" she cut herself off when she saw just who she bumped into. Cheryl. Her long red hair was a mess, her makeup was smudged, her cheeks were flushed and one of the straps on the black slip dress she was wearing was sliding down her shoulder. 

"Cheryl," Veronica purred, grinning. "The last time I saw you your head was between my thighs." Cheryl smiled a sharp and wicked smile.

"Yes," she said. "I remember. Want to dance?" Veronica just grabbed her hand and pulled the girl's body against hers. If it was anyone else from school Veronica would feel violated, intruded on, but Cheryl belonged there too. There was something right about it. 

They danced without thinking, probably looking foolish, but neither of them cared. Their sweaty hands were clasped together the whole time.

Sometime towards two in the morning they stumbled outside, breathless, sweaty and giggling. 

"Take me home with you," Cheryl insisted.

"Not home," Veronica said "somewhere else." Cheryl drove them to the nearest motel in her cherry red convertible.

Veronica payed for the room with her credit card and the way Cheryl was clinging to her made the lady at the desk eye them suspiciously. They ignored her and stumbled drunkenly down the hallway. Veronica fumbled with the lock for a minute. She found that it was hard to focus on the task at hand when Cheryl was kissing the side of her neck. 

…

When Veronica woke Cheryl was sitting in the room's threadbare armchair with a paper Starbucks cup. She looked impeccable, not at all tired or hung over. Veronica glanced at the clock radio on the bedside table and saw that it was nine thirty. She wondered how long Cheryl had been awake.

"Well," Veronica said, sitting up and smoothing down her hair. "We seem to be making a habit out of this, don't we?" Cheryl took a slow sip of her coffee. 

"I suppose so," she said. There was a long stretch of silence. "I got you coffee," Cheryl said, gesturing at a cup on the cheap dresser.

"Oh," Veronica said, surprised. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"I'm going to break up with Archie," Veronica said, out of the blue. "For good this time." 

"Why are you telling me this?" Cheryl asked, raising one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows. 

"Oh. Uh," Veronica stammered "I just don't want you to think I'm going to cheat and then act like everything's fine." 

"You really care what I of all people think about your morals?" Cheryl asked with the same eyebrow still raised. 

"Well I–" Veronica began. 

"I should be going," Cheryl said, standing up abruptly and heading to the door. "See you around, Veronica," she said over her shoulder as she stepped outside. 

"Bye," Veronica said just as Cheryl slammed the door shut.

…

"Wait for me a second?" Veronica asked Betty. "I have to go talk to someone." Cheryl was standing at her locker, applying red lipstick in a tiny mirror. Betty gives her an inquisitive look but doesn't ask. 

"Cheryl," Veronica said. The redhead turned to face her, still holding her open lipstick.

"Oh hello, Veronica," Cheryl said dismissively. 

"I'm going to a party in Greendale this Friday, you want to come with me?" She raised an eyebrow suggestively. Cheryl sighed and put the cap back on her lipstick.

"Listen, Veronica," she said quietly. "You're great and we had fun, but this–" she paused to gesture between the two of them "isn't a thing. I can't let it be a thing." Then she brushed past Veronica before the brunette got an opportunity to respond.

…

She didn't really speak to Cheryl again until they broke her out of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

Veronica barely had time to think about the kiss between Toni and Cheryl while it happened, but later she thought about it and wondered what Toni was doing for Cheryl that she couldn't.

**Author's Note:**

> rip cheronica. i love them but choni is just as good.


End file.
